I wonder if anyone here knows this car?

[autokunst]

Is there a price noted for this potential sale? I just think that the buy-in price makes a huge difference in this conversation. If the asking price is, say, $12k - then I think everything we're discovering is peanuts (assuming you don't mind the work.) But if the seller is asking $60k, then maybe this one is not a good value.?. I personally tend to accept A LOT of "wrong" for a low price. Not saying that route is a good financial decision- it almost never is. But it does frame this discussion a little, I think

 

[Manthri Srinath]

Is there a price noted for this potential sale? I just think that the buy-in price makes a huge difference in this conversation. If the asking price is, say, $12k - then I think everything we're discovering is peanuts (assuming you don't mind the work.) But if the seller is asking $60k, then maybe this one is not a good value.?. I personally tend to accept A LOT of "wrong" for a low price. Not saying that route is a good financial decision- it almost never is. But it does frame this discussion a little, I think

Well, with the current inverted yield curve, and the coming recession, I’m pretty sure that I’m not in “good financial decision” territory, regardless

But I’m hoping for a purchase near $40K, with that bow substantially straightened out, and the attendant paint and finish touch up work done.

Markos may be right (probably is), that logically, this is a walkaway, just because of the flags. I dunno though. Seems like there’s a price at which I could still feel okay about the whole thing, even with the unknowns, assuming I don’t find say, serious rust under the rocker panels, etc.

 

[Manthri Srinath]

That door/quarter junction needs some close examination. It looks like it was hit there and not straightened correctly. Does everything bend in from a straight line? Glass, trim, etc?

I think I figured out what you meant by bending in from a straight line. The answer is no. I think the glass and trim are actually true to the straight line. What’s going on is that they’re not straight to the body panel. There’s a taper where the window trim meets the painted metal on this side that isn’t there on the left side.

 

[dang]

Hey, I think there will be a CS project for sale in Santa Cruz soon.

 

[Peter Coomaraswamy]

I think the "bow" is actually a group 2 fender flair :-/

 

[teahead]

I would walk away.

$40k, I would get this one:

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/bmw/3-0cs/2305414.html

Although it's $10k higher than when I first posted this:

Decent Chamonix on Hemmings

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/bmw/3-0cs/2296912.html

e9coupe.com

 

[autokunst]

Boy, at a comparable "photos online" glance, that white one seems like a much better buy than the mystery bow. It seems there is more than enough speculation on the red car to be nervous. Admittedly, this is all in absence of a knowledgeable PPI.

 

[Manthri Srinath]

Hey, I think there will be a CS project for sale in Santa Cruz soon.

Yes, I heard

That’s the second one I’ve seen in 6 months. Coming out of the woodwork, it would seem. I’m not up for a project, though. I’ve done plenty of those. I’m good on that till my next lifetime. Just want a driver to tool around town in. I’ll tune the carbs, but that’s about it.

 

[Manthri Srinath]

I think the "bow" is actually a group 2 fender flair :-/

What’s that?

 

[teahead]

What’s that?

 

[CSteve]

Boy, at a comparable "photos online" glance, that white one seems like a much better buy than the mystery bow. It seems there is more than enough speculation on the red car to be nervous. Admittedly, this is all in absence of a knowledgeable PPI.

This forum is a life-saver(and a MONEY saver) for people like you and me. And you still have not addressed the big bust bumper issue. A deal killer for me.
It looks to me like your black leather is a dye job. How do I know, I had my upholstery guy dye(actually SEM Paint) my tan leather black. Did a great job, but I too can see tan peeking through the seems. Tiny, looks like crud that accumulated. Chances are not. Straightening the "bow" is a crap shoot. And we still have no idea what the underside looks like.

With $40K to spend I would jog, not walk, away. Move on and save yourself some big bucks potentially and more than a few sleepless nights. If the inverted yield curve and looming recession are keeping you awake this car could make you a bona fide insomniac.

Steve

 

[Manthri Srinath]

This forum is a life-saver(and a MONEY saver) for people like you and me. And you still have not addressed the big bust bumper issue. A deal killer for me.
It looks to me like your black leather is a dye job. How do I know, I had my upholstery guy dye(actually SEM Paint) my tan leather black. Did a great job, but I too can see tan peeking through the seems. Tiny, looks like crud that accumulated. Chances are not. Straightening the "bow" is a crap shoot. And we still have no idea what the underside looks like.

With $40K to spend I would jog, not walk, away. Move on and save yourself some big bucks potentially and more than a few sleepless nights. If the inverted yield curve and looming recession are keeping you awake this car could make you a bona fide insomniac.

Steve

Yeah, I’m blown away at how forthcoming this community is. It’s really nice. I appreciate the feedback I wrote off the leather. I’d start over on that. Headliner too. Not a fan of the 74 bumpers, but I gotta say, they saved my 633CSi not once, but twice. So I’m mixed on that now. A hard hit on a euro bumper is likely to total a car like this, I’d think.

But a lot of flags here...

 

[Ohmess]

Manthri - further to the pm I sent you, I saw a nice coupe in that same price range at Katie's Cars N Coffee last weekend. (Katie's, in Great Falls, VA, is the largest Cars N Coffee east of the Mississippi). The owner acquired the car in question from a customer of the independent BMW shop he ran before he retired. The owner knows BMWs well, and has some outstanding vintage cars.

The car had been a restoration candidate, and is reported to be rust free. (Obviously rust free is a term that requires definition any time you are looking at a coupe). It was purchased because the restoration did not go forward. The car had been a big bumper car, and the diving board bumpers have been removed. The front is completely bumperless; the rear has a close to the body csl replica fiberglass bumper. The car is said to be well sorted mechanically, and given what I know of the owner I would be stunned if this were not the case.

I have no financial interest in this deal. I just happened to be walking around with an acquaintance who is also into BMWs and expressed interest in the car, so we spent a little time looking at it. I know how to evaluate an e9, but determined not to inject myself into the process with these two.

This car is presentable, although not as pretty as the one you are considering. PM me if you want more info and I can put you in touch with the seller.

 

[teahead]

Big bumpers ruin the E9. Otherwise why bother owning one. Who cares about potential damage.

That's like worrying about crossing the street. Buy insurance and not think about potential damage.

 

[Markos]

I saw that gas filler door and mentioned it during my inspection, and the seller pulled a gasket in the compartment forward, which actually lined that door up pretty well. I didn’t take an after picture. I dunno if that gasket should be needed to keep it flush, though.

It is safe to assume that the gasket was out of place because the quarter was painted.

I can’t put a value on it.

Did a great job, but I too can see tan peeking through the seems. Tiny, looks like crud that accumulated. Chances are not.

Both my factory blue leather seats and my factory black leather seats have brown "suede" popping through in areas. The blue ones are completely shot, but the black ones are quite nice. I really don't think they were dyed, but dye does fix the issue. The black rear seat I actually sold to @teahead, and I was dying the seat with black kiwi shoe dye right when he arrived (no surprise, he saw me doing it ). How is it that I now have four sets of front seats?

 

[Markos]

The car had been a restoration candidate, and is reported to be rust free. (Obviously rust free is a term that requires definition any time you are looking at a coupe). It was purchased because the restoration did not go forward. The car had been a big bumper car, and the diving board bumpers have been removed. The front is completely bumperless; the rear has a close to the body csl replica fiberglass bumper. The car is said to be well sorted mechanically, and given what I know of the owner I would be stunned if this were not the case.

I know that car. Cool interior and looks good on the outside. It's clean and simple. Reminds me of @BarryG 's car.

 

[CSteve]

Big bumpers ruin the E9. Otherwise why bother owning one. Who cares about potential damage.

That's like worrying about crossing the street. Buy insurance and not think about potential damage.

Rob, above, is right. Get a realistic Agreed Value, never look back. Aesthetics always trump practacilatity when it comes to a thing of beauty, like our coupes.
I have mine bundled with my State Farm policies. They just raised it to $55k without blinking.

I bought my 74 years ago. By the grace of the car gods it was an Italian delivery euro coupe. I knew nothing then, young and stupid. Now old and a bit less stupid. It had, of course the delicate Chrome Bumpers!!! I know two other owners who bought 74s with big bumpers. One switched out from our 75 CSi barn find parts car. The other is still dithering while prices go through the roof like a shock through a rusty shock tower. Yes, it happens. Talk to Stevehose on this forum.

Steve

 

[Markos]

Is there a price noted for this potential sale? I just think that the buy-in price makes a huge difference in this conversation. If the asking price is, say, $12k - then I think everything we're discovering is peanuts (assuming you don't mind the work.) But if the seller is asking $60k, then maybe this one is not a good value.?. I personally tend to accept A LOT of "wrong" for a low price. Not saying that route is a good financial decision- it almost never is. But it does frame this discussion a little, I think

I totally agree with the sentiment. The car in question is listed at $45K. Not close to top of the market but still a lot for anyone to pay for a car with notable body damage. Exactly one year ago I "PPI'd" a Granatrot for a member. It had it's share of flaws that a 45yo driver-quality car has. I focused heavily on the body, and just about completely ignored the functional drive line. The car was far from perfect, but in my opinion at $21K (asking price) every "flaw" was relative to the price point. A car that you can hop in and enjoy. Address some concerns and ignore others. In talking with the buyer I stuck with my mantra. If you decide you don't want it, can you at least get back what you put into it?

1974 3.0Cs, found a new owner

8-Sept-2018: This car is now sold to Clinton Stokes in California - thanks all for the notes, comments and interest. Original post: This car has been in my family its whole life - I was with my father when he bought it new in 1975. But now, somewhat sadly, I am giving it up because it's the 2nd...

e9coupe.com

 

[Manthri Srinath]

Rob, above, is right. Get a realistic Agreed Value, never look back. Aesthetics always trump practacilatity when it comes to a thing of beauty, like our coupes.
I have mine bundled with my State Farm policies. They just raised it to $55k without blinking.

I bought my 74 years ago. By the grace of the car gods it was an Italian delivery euro coupe. I knew nothing then, young and stupid. Now old and a bit less stupid. It had, of course the delicate Chrome Bumpers!!! I know two other owners who bought 74s with big bumpers. One switched out from our 75 CSi barn find parts car. The other is still dithering while prices go through the roof like a shock through a rusty shock tower. Yes, it happens. Talk to Stevehose on this forum.

Steve

No disagreement from me on that. I’d do a Euro conversion in a heartbeat, if the opportunity presented itself. I dunno how hard I’d go looking for it though. Maybe.

 

[Manthri Srinath]

I totally agree with the sentiment. The car in question is listed at $45K. Not close to top of the market but still a lot for anyone to pay for a car with notable body damage. Exactly one year ago I "PPI'd" a Granatrot for a member. It had it's share of flaws that a 45yo driver-quality car has. I focused heavily on the body, and just about completely ignored the functional drive line. The car was far from perfect, but in my opinion at $21K (asking price) every "flaw" was relative to the price point. A car that you can hop in and enjoy. Address some concerns and ignore others. In talking with the buyer I stuck with my mantra. If you decide you don't want it, can you at least get back what you put into it?

1974 3.0Cs, found a new owner

8-Sept-2018: This car is now sold to Clinton Stokes in California - thanks all for the notes, comments and interest. Original post: This car has been in my family its whole life - I was with my father when he bought it new in 1975. But now, somewhat sadly, I am giving it up because it's the 2nd...

e9coupe.com

Yup. Spot on, I think. Not sure I’d get my initial investment (what I’d need to put in in the first 6 months or so), to bring it up to spec) back on the car, which I’d expect in this genre.

PPI time...